Deputy PM in EU Danube strategy meeting

If only EU and Russia could resolve all their differences and concentrate on mutually beneficial trade, transportation infrastructure and economic cooperation ..... then countries through which the Danube passes, like Hungary and Serbia, could reap huge benefits from the immense amounts of cargo and travel that will ply up and down the river. One can imagine the potential if say, commerce from the Chinese could come in using the Russian overland to get to the Danube. Then no need to ship across oceans to get from the Far East to Europe and back.

Of course there will be no room for the Yankees in such a scenario -- all the more reason for them to ensure that the day the EU and Russia see eye to eye never arrives.

"one can imagine the potential if say, commerce from the Chinese could come in using the Russian overland to get to the Danube".
lowe

No, with the BEST IMAGINATION anybody who has even elementary knowledge about transport costs can not see any potential:
1. Anything coming overland would not be coal, iron ore or something similar ideal for transportation on waterways.
2. All other finished goods (in few years automobiles) could come through Russia.
3. If big trucks arrive let say to Volgograd from there they could easily push toward Germany instead of limping slowly along to the Danube delta (where most likely temporarly storage costs would also incur). Oh, and this point I didn't even mention the "mild climat" from fall to late spring on the "super-highway" between China and Volgograd.
4. Let's hope that at this point the marchandise is finally loaded in the Danube delta and no Danube country is giving any problem (there was some hindrence problems in Serbia 1-2 years ago). The shipment arrives with some difficulty up to Budapest but not further because they is a big drought..
I better stop here. I don't want to think about the importator, who realizes the mistake of his decision and goes crazy.

Anyway I don't think you could have a long lasting job in the overland China - W.-Europe transportation.

"I better stop here. I don't want to think about the importator, who realizes the mistake of his decision and goes crazy.

Anyway I don't think you could have a long lasting job in the overland China - W.-Europe transportation.
(Joe, 20 March 2010 01:09) "

My scenario was based on the transportation infrastructure being all in place -- please read my post again and this time more carefully.

True, some cargo could use the overland route across China to Mongolia to north Russia to then to Germany, France and beyond. And return to the Far East via same. But others would use the southern route from (and to) China's Xinjiang province across the Central Asiatic republics to the Black Sea -- these would be the ones the Danube. And with return trips to China through this route as well. I was not only referrring to goods but to human travel (eg. tourism) as well.

Of course it is also obvious that before this explosion of trade and economic activities can take off, countries along these routes must have the economic priority uppermost in their minds. It is here however that the USA will have the penchant to do mischief and act as saboteur. Because there will be no meaningful participation possible in trades via these new Silk Routes for you guys. Your importance to these countries will correspondingly decline substantially, and surely it is not in America's core interest to see this happen.

"one can imagine the potential if say, commerce from the Chinese could come in using the Russian overland to get to the Danube".
lowe

No, with the BEST IMAGINATION anybody who has even elementary knowledge about transport costs can not see any potential:
1. Anything coming overland would not be coal, iron ore or something similar ideal for transportation on waterways.
2. All other finished goods (in few years automobiles) could come through Russia.
3. If big trucks arrive let say to Volgograd from there they could easily push toward Germany instead of limping slowly along to the Danube delta (where most likely temporarly storage costs would also incur). Oh, and this point I didn't even mention the "mild climat" from fall to late spring on the "super-highway" between China and Volgograd.
4. Let's hope that at this point the marchandise is finally loaded in the Danube delta and no Danube country is giving any problem (there was some hindrence problems in Serbia 1-2 years ago). The shipment arrives with some difficulty up to Budapest but not further because they is a big drought..
I better stop here. I don't want to think about the importator, who realizes the mistake of his decision and goes crazy.

Anyway I don't think you could have a long lasting job in the overland China - W.-Europe transportation.

If only EU and Russia could resolve all their differences and concentrate on mutually beneficial trade, transportation infrastructure and economic cooperation ..... then countries through which the Danube passes, like Hungary and Serbia, could reap huge benefits from the immense amounts of cargo and travel that will ply up and down the river. One can imagine the potential if say, commerce from the Chinese could come in using the Russian overland to get to the Danube. Then no need to ship across oceans to get from the Far East to Europe and back.

Of course there will be no room for the Yankees in such a scenario -- all the more reason for them to ensure that the day the EU and Russia see eye to eye never arrives.

"I better stop here. I don't want to think about the importator, who realizes the mistake of his decision and goes crazy.

Anyway I don't think you could have a long lasting job in the overland China - W.-Europe transportation.
(Joe, 20 March 2010 01:09) "

My scenario was based on the transportation infrastructure being all in place -- please read my post again and this time more carefully.

True, some cargo could use the overland route across China to Mongolia to north Russia to then to Germany, France and beyond. And return to the Far East via same. But others would use the southern route from (and to) China's Xinjiang province across the Central Asiatic republics to the Black Sea -- these would be the ones the Danube. And with return trips to China through this route as well. I was not only referrring to goods but to human travel (eg. tourism) as well.

Of course it is also obvious that before this explosion of trade and economic activities can take off, countries along these routes must have the economic priority uppermost in their minds. It is here however that the USA will have the penchant to do mischief and act as saboteur. Because there will be no meaningful participation possible in trades via these new Silk Routes for you guys. Your importance to these countries will correspondingly decline substantially, and surely it is not in America's core interest to see this happen.